The Shaolin Abbot Born in the 1980s

Chapter 20: From the Military

Just as Huo Yuanzhen spotted the man in brocade, the man also noticed him. The man had a sharp gaze, and when he noticed Huo Yuanzhen looking at him, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. Huo Yuanzhen was secretly startled. This man was definitely a master! In the martial arts world, there is a clear classification of strength, typically divided into “Post-Heaven” and “Pre-Heaven” masters. The “Acquired” realm is further divided into Early, Middle, Late, and Grand Perfection stages. This classification of levels does not refer to how well one has mastered a particular martial art, but rather to one’s inner energy. For martial artists, inner energy is paramount; without its support, all martial arts are mere empty gestures, devoid of power. The Early Postnatal stage refers to the point where one has begun cultivating inner energy and has already sensed the flow of qi; at this point, one is considered to have entered the Postnatal realm. The Middle Stage of the Acquired Realm refers to having achieved a certain level of proficiency in cultivating inner energy, to the point where it can circulate through the meridians and flow throughout the entire body. At this stage, any part of the body used to attack can inflict massive damage with the support of inner energy. The late stage of the “Post-Heaven” realm refers to the ability to project internal energy outward so that others can clearly sense it. At this level, internal energy possesses many subtle applications: for example, channeling it into one’s eyes can make others afraid to meet your gaze; waving one’s sleeves can generate a surge of energy; and infusing a sword with internal energy can produce a sword aura as it is swung. The “Perfected Postnatal” stage signifies that one’s internal cultivation has reached the “Minor Achievement” realm. At this stage, internal energy can be internalized, achieving a state of returning to simplicity and authenticity. The greatest difference between “Innate” and “Acquired” masters lies in the opening of the Ren and Du meridians. With an endless flow of inner energy, their combat prowess is not only far more formidable but their inner energy is also far more enduring—a fundamental distinction from the “Acquired” stage. In the mid-Xiantian stage, practitioners attain the “Fetal Breathing” realm. Unlike the early Xiantian stage—where one relies on external forces to circulate internal energy—the mid-Xiantian stage allows practitioners to generate internal energy entirely on their own. They can produce internal energy under any harsh conditions, and as long as they do not continuously deplete it at an excessive rate, their internal energy will never run dry. The Late Innate Stage refers to the point where one’s internal energy has broken through the “Gate of Life and Death,” and one’s internal cultivation has reached the pinnacle of perfection. At this level, one’s lifespan is greatly extended. Although anyone who successfully cultivates internal energy can live a long life, only those who have broken through the “Gate of Life and Death” achieve true longevity. It is said that some veteran martial arts masters have even lived for two or three hundred years. The Great Perfection of the Innate Realm represents the true pinnacle of the martial arts world. A hundred years ago, Ding Bu’er, the leader of the Demon Cult known as the “White-Haired Blood Demon,” reached this level. He single-handedly defeated the ten greatest masters of the righteous path and emerged victorious, causing the Demon Cult to dominate the scene for a time while the righteous path lived in constant fear. However, Ding Bu’er later mysteriously vanished from the martial arts world. While people are aware of this realm, no one has ever reached it since. As for those who have not cultivated inner energy, they are, at best, mere nobodies in the martial arts world—at most, they may have achieved some proficiency in external martial arts, but they can never become true masters. However, this does not mean that someone with high inner energy will necessarily defeat someone with low inner energy; the subtlety of one’s techniques also plays a significant role. That said, since cultivating inner energy is a lengthy process, those with high inner energy generally possess formidable combat skills as well. Someone like Huo Yuanzhen, who has only recently begun to sense his qi, can actually be considered to be in the early stages of postnatal cultivation. But in terms of actual combat effectiveness, Huo Yuanzhen might not even measure up to someone like Yijing or Huang Feihong, who have never cultivated internal energy—though Huo Yuanzhen’s case is an exception and doesn’t prove anything. Yet the middle-aged man in brocade robes who now stood before Huo Yuanzhen had a gaze as sharp as lightning and exuded a captivating, commanding presence. Huo Yuanzhen knew a master when he saw one—this indicated that the man in brocade robes was, at the very least, a grand master in the late stage of the Postnatal Realm. The late stage of the Posthuman Realm truly qualifies one as a master; masters of the Prehuman Realm aren’t as common as cabbages on the street—they aren’t something you come across casually. Even the Mysterious Immortal of the Zhongyue Sect, the foremost master of Mount Song, had only recently entered the late stage of the Posthuman Realm. Sometimes Huo Yuanzhen would wonder: if he were to draw an internal cultivation manual, would he be able to master it instantly? Would he reach the late Xiantian or even the Perfect Xiantian realm? Although he could master external martial arts techniques instantly, Huo Yuanzhen believed that internal cultivation would likely not be so straightforward. But after all, since the manual was provided by the system, might it be different? Huo Yuanzhen remained somewhat concerned. The man in brocade robes looked at him; though his gaze was sharp, Huo Yuanzhen could detect goodwill in his eyes. No way! He’d only been in this world for a little over a month—how could a complete stranger show him such goodwill? Could he be a Buddhist as well? Could it be that he, too, wanted to become a monk? Just as Huo Yuanzhen was lost in his thoughts, the man in brocade turned and walked away. Escorted by a group of guards in blue robes, he was actually heading toward Huo Yuanzhen’s little temple. Huo Yuanzhen was startled; he understood what the man in brocade meant—he wanted to speak with him inside. Glancing at the chaotic crowd around him, Huo Yuanzhen told Yikong and the others to stay put, then returned to the temple himself. When he reached the temple entrance, two men in blue robes stood on either side, like guards, their eyes fixed straight ahead. Huo Yuanzhen paid them no mind and went straight to his room. The man in brocade robes was sitting alone in a chair. Upon seeing Huo Yuanzhen enter, he stood up and smiled, saying, “I have come uninvited and apologize for disturbing the Abbot.” Huo Yuanzhen bowed slightly and said to the man in brocade, “With such a distinguished guest paying a visit, This Humble Monk failed to greet you properly at the gate. My apologies.” The man in brocade blinked. “What do you mean, ‘distinguished guest’? I am merely a commoner from the streets, with a modest fortune—I am hardly worthy of such a title.” Huo Yuanzhen smiled. “Whether it be gold and silver or power and influence, these are things valued by people of the secular world. In This Humble Monk’s eyes, however, they are all the same. Since you have come to Shaolin, layman, you must have business with me. If you were to hide your identity, wouldn’t that be a bit lacking in spontaneity?” A look of surprise flashed across the man in brocade robes’ eyes. After a moment’s thought, he said, “What has the Abbot discerned?” Huo Yuanzhen let his gaze sweep over the man in brocade: “You possess a certain air of authority. If I am not mistaken, you must be from the government.” “Oh?” The man in brocade was even more surprised; he sat up straight and said to Huo Yuanzhen, “Abbot, please continue.” Huo Yuanzhen said, “The Shaolin Temple is located within Dengfeng County, in a remote area. This Humble Monk has never met anyone from the government, but judging by your accent, it seems slightly different from that of the people of Dengfeng County. I presume you are not from Dengfeng. Am I correct?” The man in brocade robes nodded. “I am indeed not from Dengfeng.” Huo Yuanzhen continued, “By the same token, if you are not from Dengfeng, then you are likely not from Zhengzhou Prefecture either. However, you are still from Henan.” “The Abbot is quite correct; accent can indeed serve as a clue. I am indeed from Henan, but I wonder how the Abbot could tell that I am a member of the authorities?” “Officials naturally differ from common folk. This Humble Monk, though not of great ability, can tell the difference to some extent.” “Then may I ask, Venerable Abbot, have you determined which government office I belong to?” As the man in brocade robes spoke, a sly gleam flashed in his eyes. Huo Yuanzhen chuckled inwardly, but his expression remained impassive. After a moment’s pause, he said, “Your question does give This Humble Monk pause. However, if I were to guess, I would say you come from the military.” This time, the man in brocade robes was genuinely taken aback; a murderous glint flashed instantly in his eyes as he fixed Huo Yuanzhen with a piercing stare. Huo Yuanzhen showed not the slightest fear, meeting the man’s gaze directly with a face full of compassion, calm and unperturbed. After staring at Huo Yuanzhen for a while, the man in brocade robes finally looked away and sighed, saying, “If I hadn’t confirmed that I’ve never seen the Abbot before, I’d truly have suspected his identity.” Huo Yuanzhen smiled without speaking, his eyes cast downward. After a moment, the man in brocade robes calmed down and said to Huo Yuanzhen, “Since you’ve seen through my identity, I’ll make no secret of it. I do indeed come from the military, though I cannot reveal my exact rank at this time. I have come here specifically to speak with you.” Huo Yuanzhen did not reply, so the man in brocade continued, ““I have a friend whose elderly father has been a devout Buddhist all his life and firmly believes in the existence of the Buddha—to the point of obsession. He has dedicated his life to possessing an object imbued with the Buddha’s nature. Yet, as vast as the world is, where could one possibly find such a thing? For this reason, the old man has traveled nearly every corner of the land, spending a fortune in his quest for a Buddhist relic, yet to no avail. He has even visited the Dharma King Temple here, but came away empty-handed.” After a brief pause, the man in brocade continued, “Yet my friend is also very filial and has always wanted to fulfill his father’s wish. Upon hearing that a divine miracle involving the Buddha had occurred at your temple, he specifically asked me to come and see for myself whether it was true.” “So you’ve seen it yourself, layman.” “I have. That is precisely why I’m asking the Abbot for a favor—I hope to obtain an object imbued with the Buddha-nature to fulfill an elderly man’s wish.” After speaking, the man in brocade robes stood up and bowed to Huo Yuanzhen. Huo Yuanzhen hurriedly pressed his palms together in return and invited him to sit down again: “This matter is neither difficult nor easy, but since you are a follower of the Buddha, you should come to our temple to demonstrate your sincerity.” Upon hearing Huo Yuanzhen’s words, the man in brocade seemed to show a look of hesitation. After a moment’s thought, he said, “I have an unreasonable request: I hope the Abbot will allow me to take a look at an object imbued with the Buddha’s nature. That way, I’ll have a clear idea of what I’m dealing with, and I can return to invite the elderly gentleman here.” “That’s not difficult.” Huo Yuanzhen took out the Wooden Fish he had drawn. After instructing the man in brocade robes to take his seat, Huo Yuanzhen said, “You seem troubled at the moment, layman. Listen to the sound of the Wooden Fish—it will help calm your mind.” With that, Huo Yuanzhen began to gently strike the Wooden Fish. The man in brocade robes, who had been somewhat agitated, went from shock to calm upon hearing the sound of the Wooden Fish, and eventually, without even realizing it, closed his eyes. Huo Yuanzhen glanced at him and noticed the edges of a pair of boots peeking out from beneath the hem of his brocade robe. A pair of official boots—the kind worn by military officers.